The rural heart of Hawke’s Bay

Despite its large area it has had the greatest difficulty in selection due to fewer numbers of eligible players caused by the movement of workers from the farms to the urban areas. However, it has in the past provided many fine players who have gone onto higher rugby honours.

Whenever the tournament is hosted the township of Waipukurau takes on a festive air and the colours of all the teams are displayed as banners, shop window decorations and as part of street marches. Particularly dominant is the colour of red and white.

Fortunate are the city kids who get to experience the joy of the billeting on the farms as they get the chance to taste an aspect of life that fascinates and opens up their learning horizons.

Central Park has that close intimacy where the spectators line the fences and can feel and hear the bumps, the tackles and the bursts of energy whilst cheering their teams on.

There has always been excellent organisation of the tournaments by enthusiastic and capable officials. In 2015, we saw the retirement of long serving officials – Tony Lepelaars, Jo Brabyn, Linda Mackie and Tom Goodger. All will be hard to replace.